The Silver Sphinx

 

This is the sequel to "The Fall".

The story is based on the Planescape campaign I'm running with my role-playing group since 2011 to the present day. More information can be found in the first chapter of “The Eternal Boundary”. This part is based on the Planescape adventures “Doors to the Unknown” and "Lord of the Iron Fortress", but differs from them in some respects.

The Dramatis Personae for part 5 is a little more extensive than those of the last parts, as it is time to give the Chosen who have not yet had their turn their entry. But a few other characters who have appeared frequently are also mentioned on this occasion.

 

Dramatis Personae 

 

The medusa Rakalla is not originally from Sigil, but from Pelateia, a city in the Outlands. Also known as “the Beauty on the Hills” or the Gorgon City, it is the only planar metropolis inhabited almost exclusively by medusae. It was there that she learned the art of alchemy at a young age. Rakalla's mother and sister still live in Pelateia, but she herself moved to Sigil and became a member of the Doomguard. Rakalla is one of the Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, namely the Destroyer. Like Lereia, she can sense souls, but perceives them as silhouettes and shadows. She can also destroy parts of a soul. Her group of Chosen includes the vampire Zamakis, the minotaur Blackhoof, the goblin mechanic Krixxi and actually also the half-elf Sgillin.

Rakalla cannot hide what she is and does not try to: green skin, thin scales on her arms and the backs of her hands, and above all, many hissing snakes instead of normal hair clearly identify her as a medusa. She is about 5'7" tall and muscular, and her eyes glow orange when she does not hide them behind glasses with round, blackened lenses. However, she often does so in company so as not to make others nervous. Rakalla is usually dressed in dark leather and carries many vials and alchemical projectiles with her. She also usually carries a long sword, which she knows to wield quite well.

It is quite noticeable that Rakalla has chaotic traits. She is creative, independent and energetic, but can also be unpredictable, erratic and impulsive. When she likes someone, she displays a friendly, buddy-like nature. However, she can become very quick-tempered when something doesn't suit her or when she gets into an argument with someone. But most of the time she gives a cheerful and carefree impression. Regarding her faction, she often emphasizes that she is an Observer and not a Ravager. Currently, a romantic connection seems to be developing between her and the tiefling bard Haer'Dalis, who also belongs to the Doomguard.

 

Zamakis was an elf in her mortal life, but is now a vampire. When, why and by whom she was transformed is not yet known, as Zamakis is very secretive about personal matters. However, she seems to have been in Sigil for quite some time and is a member of the Dustmen with the rank of adlate, which corresponds to a factotum. She is also a sorceress of considerable power. Zamakis is one of the Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, namely the Wailer. Her gift enables her to speak with the dead. Sometimes, however, the dead speak to her of their own accord and reveal secrets to her. Her group of Chosen includes the medusa Rakalla, the minotaur Blackhoof, the goblin mechanic Krixxi and actually also the half-elf Sgillin.

Zamakis' elven origins are clearly evident in her pointed ears, beautiful, noble features and slender physique. She has long black hair, red eyes and the strikingly pale complexion of light-skinned vampires. Unlike many Dustmen, she is not dressed in simple, dark robes, but in more elegant garments, usually a black frock coat with blood-red embroidery. More rarely, she also wears a black and red or red and white dress. However, her clothing always appears very formal and appropriate for a funeral. This is in keeping with the position she occupies in her faction.

Zamakis usually displays the typical traits commonly attributed to Dustmen: controlled, even reserved, and emotionless to the point of coldness. Whether this is due to her choice of faction or simply her nature is unclear. Occasionally, though, emotions such as irritation or amusement seem to shine through a little. Overall, however, the undead is rather difficult to assess.

 

Krixxi is a female goblin born in the streets of Sigil. Her bright pink hair indicates that she has a good deal of fairy blood running through her veins. Even as a child, Krixxi enjoyed crafting things out of scrap iron and old metal parts, so it's no surprise that she later became a talented mechanic. She joined the Xaositect faction at a young age. Krixxi is one of the Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, namely the Fool. Her blood causes the otherwise never-blooming razor vine to blossom. Recently, she also discovered that she possesses the Key to All Doors trait, which means that, with few exceptions, she can open any portal without a key, as well as normal doors. Her group of Chosen includes the medusa Rakalla, the minotaur Blackhoof, the vampire Zamakis and actually also the half-elf Sgillin.

Krixxi is about 3’6’’ tall and very thin, has green skin, yellow eyes, pointed teeth and very large, pointed ears. She sometimes wears her strikingly bright pink hair loose and sometimes tied back in two tousled pigtails. She usually wears practical and somewhat dirty clothes, a leather apron, a tool belt and welding goggles, and is adorned with all kinds of metal trinkets such as keys and gears. But every now and then, true to her Xaositect nature, she also wears very colorful, eye-catching and seemingly random clothing.

Krixxi is a cheerful, hyperactive and excitable person. She talks a lot, very quickly and sometimes says incomprehensible, confusing things. She has the slightly hectic manner that many goblins display, which often tires other races. However, she seems to be very open-minded and helpful. Despite all this, one should not underestimate her abilities: Krixxi is apparently very intelligent and an exceptionally skilled mechanic. Krixxi's constant companion and best friend is Figaro, an awakened, talking rooster who is also a mechanic.

 

The minotaur Blackhoof is not originally from Sigil, but was born in the Outlands, specifically in the Thunder Plains. However, after the death of their parents, he and his brother Bloodhorn left the Outlands and went to Sigil. While the wilder Bloodhorn pursued a career as a gladiator and pit fighter, the gentler Blackhoof became a member of the Bleak Cabal and, as a factotum of the faction, primarily takes care of the orphans in the Gatehouse. He is one of the Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, namely the Healer. As such, he has the ability to recognize and heal mental suffering or damaged souls. His group of Chosen includes the medusa Rakalla, the goblin mechanic Krixxi, the vampire Zamakis and actually also the half-elf Sgillin.

Blackhoof is over eight feet tall, has dark brown fur and light-colored horns. He usually wears simple clothing made of thin leather and sturdy fabric. However, he also owns pieces of armor made of thick, hardened leather, which he only puts on when he expects a fight. Then he also carries his large battle axe with him. Like many minotaurs, Blackhoof wears intricately crafted horn jewelry. In his case, it consists of engraved brass rings.

Overall, the minotaur makes a calm and well-adjusted impression. He does not speak much, and when he does, he usually chooses his words carefully. He is extremely protective of his friends and very gentle towards smaller creatures, as can be seen in his interaction with the orphans in the Gatehouse. He seems to have a close friendship with Krixxi, whom he probably regards as a kind of little sister. Sometimes he seems thoughtful and introverted, but he never talks about what is on his mind in those moments.

 

Krystall is the leader of an Anarchist cell in Sigil called the Razor Angels. The young woman is also a paladin of Milani, the goddess of freedom fighters and revolutions. She is not originally from Sigil, but from the Prime Material Plane. However, she came to the City of Doors at the age of four and grew up on the streets of the Hive. Since Sgillin is often traveling with one of the other Chosen groups (Naghûl, Lereia, Kiyoshi, Jana and Morânia), Krystall regularly takes his place and accompanies Zamakis, Rakalla, Krixxi and Blackhoof on their missions connected with the Prophecy.

Krystall has long, dark brown hair and brown eyes. She is about 5'9" tall, slim and attractive, with a determined look in her intense, dark eyes. She usually wears knee-high leather boots, a red embroidered vest, a frock coat with wide cuffs, and a wide-brimmed hat with red feathers. Her weapon is a rapier, which she almost always carries with her. Upon closer examination, one can see an amulet with the symbol of the goddess Milani around her neck. The red rose on her lapel also hints at her goddess.

Krystall is courageous, bold and very vigorous when it comes to the goals of the Razor Angels. Unlike many Anarchists, she rejects murder and vandalism, but regularly goes on raids with her group. The targets are always rich merchants, wealthy high-ranking faction members or even poorly guarded Golden Lords, if the opportunity arises. However, Krystall sets great value on ensuring that no one is seriously injured or even killed during these raids. She is only interested in the money, which the Razor Angels then share out in the Hive. Like all Anarchists, Krystall wants to bring down the faction system and replace it with another. However, she strives to achieve this without excessive violence.

 

Figaro is clearly a rooster. A beautiful, impressive rooster with white plumage and blue-green tail feathers. However, there are a few unusual aspects about him. For one thing, he has a mechanical right leg. It has sharp claws that can also be used as tools. On the other hand, Figaro always wears welding goggles with green lenses, sometimes atop his comb, but when he is working also over his eyes to protect them. He also carries some other equipment on his body: a glass ampoule with a green liquid on his left leg, a leather tool belt with various utensils around his chest and an attachment with several small bags on his left wing. Overall, he is a rather striking appearance, even for Sigil.

Figaro is an awakened animal. This means that he hatched from an egg as an ordinary rooster. But then he received significantly increased intelligence and a consciousness comparable to that of a humanoid thanks to the magic of a Xaositect wizard. In fact, his intellect seems to surpass that of many humanoids, as he quickly learned the craft of mechanics and is capable of creating amazing devices. He is the constant companion and apparently the best friend of the goblin woman Krixxi.

Figaro is rather succinct in his manner and displays a dry sense of humor, though it is not entirely clear whether this is intentional. He is friendly and helpful to those who take him seriously in his capacity as a mechanic. However, he responds with biting cynicism to those who dismiss him as a funny, talking bird. He seems to be quite vain, both in terms of his appearance and his abilities.

 

Elyria is a guardinal, specifically a wolf-like lupinal. As such, she comes from Elysium, where she lived as a priestess of Mishakal in the Conclave Fidelis monastery until the events surrounding the Prophecy began to unfold. She is one of the Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, namely the Keeper. She forms a kind of unity with Sir Lorias, the Proclaimer. The gift of the Keeper and the Proclaimer is difficult to explain and to understand, even for themselves. Under certain circumstances, which are not always clear, they can gain knowledge about the Prophecy and they possess the only gift that is shared by two beings.

As a lupinal, Elyria has the appearance of an anthropomorphic wolf. She has a humanoid physique, walks on two legs and has two arms with opposable thumbs. However, she has distinctly wolf-like features and her body is covered with silver-gray fur that transitions to a bright white on her muzzle and belly. She also has a bushy wolf tail. Elyria usually wears beautiful, valuable jewelry, especially a necklace and a tiara, and elegant dresses in green and blue-turquoise.

Elyria is of calm and gentle nature. She observes a lot and has a wealth of knowledge, which she does not necessarily share with everyone. She often leaves the talking to Sir Lorias and prefers to see herself in the role of advisor and custodian. Like all guardinals, she is kind, helpful and stands up for the weak wherever possible. From her time in the Conclave Fidelis, Elyria knows Factol Terrance, with whom she is very good friends. Even his apostasy and joining the Athar has not changed this.

 

Sir Lorias was once a human. He hails from the gate town of Ecstasy and, as a young man, became a paladin of Nobanion and a member of Nobanion's paladin order, the Legion of Lions. Only wemics, leonin and werelions can belong to this order, and shortly before his transformation into an undead, Lorias was a candidate for transformation into a werelion. But then he accidentally walked through a portal that led to the Negative Energy Plane. He did not return quickly enough and was thus transformed into an undead. Since he had retained his good heart, Nobanion continued to grant him his grace, and Lorias became one of the few undead paladins of a good-aligned god. He was even allowed to join the Legion of Lions as one of the very few non-lion-like members. Lorias is one of the Chosen of the Ring Prophecy, namely the Proclaimer. He forms a kind of unity with Lady Elyria, the Keeper. The gift of the Keeper and the Proclaimer is difficult to explain and to understand, even for themselves. Under certain, not always clear circumstances, they can gain knowledge about the Prophecy and they possess the only gift that is shared by two beings.

Lorias used to be an attractive young man with light blond hair and blue eyes. However, since accidentally entering the Negative Energy Plane, he is an ensouled skeleton. He attaches great importance to maintaining a well-groomed appearance even now, polishing his bones, embalming them and even having some of them engraved. He still wears the armor he owned when still alive, which features many lion motifs to honor his god Nobanion.

Despite his grim fate, Lorias is mostly cheerful. He radiates confidence and happiness, is very affable and sociable, and has a keen sense of self-irony. Occasionally, of course, his past catches up with him and he becomes quiet and withdrawn for a while. However, such moods do not have control over him for long, and he quickly returns to his optimistic outlook.

 

The tiefling Haer'Dalis comes from Sigil, but has also traveled extensively outside the City of Doors. For a while, he visited Toril, including the city of Athkatla in Amn and Calimshan. There, he apparently had a whole series of unusual adventures with a group of friends. He also ended up in the Abyss for a while because he got involved with an alu, which ultimately led to an uprising that encompassed several layers. Outside of these excursions to other planes, he is a member of a Sigil-based theater troupe led by a tiefling woman named Raelis Shai. In addition to being a talented bard and actor, the tiefling is also very skilled with his two short blades.

The attractive bard wears his blue hair shoulder-length and loose, but usually held back by a headband. There is not much that outwardly indicates Haer'Dalis' Lower Planes heritage; he has no horns, no tail, nor any other distinctive features. At first glance, he could be mistaken for a half-elf, perhaps one with fey blood. His vibrant blue hair is the only visible sign of his tiefling ancestry.

A special trait of Haer'Dalis is his flowery way of expressing himself. Apart from a rather theatrical streak (which he can drop as quickly as he picks it up, though), he likes to give his friends and acquaintances animal names such as “raven”, “hawk”, “wolf” or similar. He often refers to himself as “sparrow”. However, Haer'Dalis is quite astute and good at forming accurate opinions about others. He is also refreshingly honest and open about who he is and what he does. During his travels on Toril, Haer'Dalis was involved with the blood hunter Síkhara. However, they are no longer a steady couple, but apparently limit themselves to hooking up occasionally. At the same time, something seems to be growing between Haer'Dalis and the medusa Rakalla.

 

Síkhara is a fire genasi and a blood hunter from the Order of the Ghostslayer. She was born in the City of Brass on the Plane of Fire, but left at a young age to join the Order of Ghostslayer. She also traveled the world of Toril for a while, where she met the bard Haer'Dalis. Síkhara knows about the Ring Prophecy, as she happened to encounter Krystall, Rakalla, Zamakis, Blackhoof, Krixxi and Figaro when they were searching for the Keeper and the Proclaimer.

Síkhara appears to be in her mid-30s and has long, thick ombré hair that is deep red at the line but turns orange towards the tips. Her hair is very vividly colored, and sparks or small flames occasionally shoot out from the tips. Síkhara's eyes are turquoise-green and seem to glow slightly from within. A long scar runs across her right eye and cheek. She also has many small scars on her arms, probably from small cuts, which identify her as a blood hunter. Síkhara often wears hardened leather armor reinforced with metal parts. She carries a long scimitar as a weapon.

The fire genasi is a talented fighter, courageous and quite direct when expressing her opinion. When it comes to her profession as a monster hunter, she always acts very fearlessly and decisively. While she doesn't show open hostility to the factions of Sigil, she does not belong to any of them, unlike many planars. Síkhara had been in a relationship with the bard Haer'Dalis when they traveled the world of Toril. By now, they are no longer a couple, but they do occasionally hook up when they meet.